Thanks to Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin for giving me a free bottle to try in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
If you like refreshing cocktails, then you will love my new Fabulous Find. No matter what the calendar says, you'll always find summer in a glass with this new cucumber lemon gin. It's the latest in the Empress 1908 lineup.
I discovered Empress 1908 a few years ago at a bar in Bonita Springs. I had recently been introduced to butterfly pea blossom and this gin contained the mysterious botanical. It changes colors when acid is added
For example, the cocktail appeared clear, until the bartender squeezed a splash of lemon juice. Like magic, the drink transformed into this gorgeous purple color. It tasted great too. I was hooked.
Funny story about gin. This summer I spent a week on the Italian island of Sardinia. Two of my travel companions are big vodka drinkers. However, when ordered a vodka tonic or soda, nine times out of ten the waiter would bring them gin.
It became almost comical and a challenge to actually score a vodka cocktail. Gin is big in Europe. Herbal and bitter spirits are particularly popular in Italy too. I appreciate a well-made Aperol Spritz or Hugo, both of which were quite prevalent in Sardinia.
Cucumber Lemon Gin Recipes
The Hugo is topped with one of my favorite wines, sparkling. Either prosecco or Champagne. Here is a recipe spinoff using Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin.
Hugo Twist Cucumber Lemon Gin
Hugo Twist Ingredients And Method
- 1.5 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- ¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¾ oz Elderflower Liqueur
- ¼ oz Simple Syrup
- 6 Mint Leaves
- Sparkling Wine and Soda Water, to top
- Garnishes: Edible Flowers and Mint Leaves
Shake ingredients except for prosecco and soda water on ice and fine-strain into a wine goblet filled with ice. Top with prosecco and a splash of soda water and garnish with more mint leaves and edible flowers.
When I first got a bottle of the Cucumber Lemon Gin, I mixed it with one of the lemon-flavored Fever-Tree Tonics and it was fantastic. It was a simpler version of the Lemon Spritz recipe below. But the spritz has sparkling wine, which if you are like me, will make you happy.
Lemon Spritz With Cucumber Lemon Gin
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- 1 oz Limoncello
- .5 oz Lemon Juice
- Dry Sparkling Wine, to top
- Soda Water, to top
- Garnish: Lemon Slice
In a copa glass filled with ice, add gin, limoncello, and lemon juice and top with sparkling wine and a splash of soda water. Give a quick stir to combine and garnish with lemon slice.
Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin is a a nice balance of both the cucumber and the lemon. It's refreshing and light which is good anytime of year on Southwest Florida and is now available locally.
